5. Michael
”How do I look?” Hicks asks, as he straightens the bow tie around his neck.
”Like you”re about to be pimped out in the name of charity,” I say to him with a smirk.
”It”s for a good cause,” he reminds me. ”Wish me luck.”
He steps onto the stage just as Rina announces, ”Next up, we have left-winger, Number Fourteen, Joshua Hicks!”
The crowd bursts into applause as Hicks” chosen song blasts through the speakers. He strolls onto the stage and snaps his fingers to the crowd.
Some of the women in the crowd whistle at him as he approaches the mallet-wielding Rina.
”Number fourteen plans to woo his date with a visit to the aquarium followed by a moonlit dinner in the marina.”
I pull the curtain slightly to get a better look at the room again. We”re in a fancy hotel meeting space at the Four Seasons. The Heatwave team colors of orange, yellow, and black accent the room, and candlelight flickers from every round table, casting dancing shadows on our enthusiastic bidders.
Several women in the crowd wave their paddles excitedly.
”Five hundred. Do I hear six? Six hundred?” Another excited paddle waves in the crowd.
There are only two of us left in this auction now. The rest of the Heatwave singles on the team are already sitting with their respective dates. I look to our team captain behind me. He”s the prize of the night. They”re saving the best for last.
”You nervous, Fergie?” he asks with his cocky smile.
”Not in the least,” I lie.
”It”ll be fine,” he whispers from behind me. ”We used to do these on my old team. One of these sweet foxy mamas will pay an exorbitant amount of money to take us out on a date of our choosing. You take pictures. Sign some autographs for their grandkids. Bada bing bada boom. You get to go home with a good conscience knowing you”ve helped support the Houston Children”s Hospital and are a hero for those kids.”
He slaps me on the back and massages my neck. ”Do it for the kids, Fergie.”
I groan and shake him off. Somehow this seems like the opposite of being a hero. ”And what if these dates expect more than what we agree to?”
He raises a brow, considering it for a moment.
”Then I”d say you can thank you”re lucky stars. Your dry spell is over. And you won”t need that app you”ve made after all.” He bows with a flourish, and I shove his shoulder.
He laughs, and Rina shoots us a death glare as bidders fight over our teammate.
”Thirty-five hundred. Do I hear four thousand?” Rina continues with the auction. The familiar flash from the cameras is coming from different angles in the room. The press is here, which is the real purpose behind the event.
Though fierce on the ice, the Houston Heatwave NHL hockey team doesn”t have the best reputation off the ice. Fights amongst rivals. Fights amongst ourselves. We even had a bar brawl with a group of ”fan-emies,” as Landry called them. They hated that we had been last in our division at the time.
But this is the reason we”ve turned things around. This is why Rina has stacked our calendars with these community events through the end of the playoffs. We have some major competition when it comes to the other big sports here in Texas, with football reigning king.
Let”s be real. Ice hockey and Houston aren”t two things that typically go hand in hand.
Hence—why we”re here. Being pimped out for charity. In the hopes that the great people of Houston will see that we”re trying to do some good. Which is why my older brother insisted on coming out tonight to support us. He”s on some kind of a charity kick lately and thought it would be good for the church to be apart of tonight”s event. Even if just to give some money to the cause.
Hicks looks over at us and wriggles his brows. The two women who originally bid on him are battling back and forth, and he”s soaking up all the attention.
”Twelve thousand dollars!” One of them screams.
The crowd gasps.
”That”s the most anyone”s brought in tonight,” Keelan says in awe from behind me. ”Fucking Hicks and his toothless charm.”
”Twelve thousand going once. Going twice,” Rina slams the mallet onto the podium. ”Sold to Mrs. Nandina Chandra with Chandra Automotives.”
The man sitting next to the elated woman has his arms crossed in front of his chest and looks like he”d pay twelve thousand dollars just to be able to walk out of here right now. Must be the husband.
Mrs. Chandra claps excitedly as she makes her way to the stage and hoops her arm into Hicks now waiting at the steps.
”I have three daughters who would just die for this chance with you. I can”t wait to rub it in their faces,” she says to the forward as they walk past.
Hicks laughs with her making their way to her table.
”Up next, we have the equally handsome counterpart of the Heatwave”s first line: the very single...”
She just had to emphasize that?
”Number twenty-three, Michael Ferguson.”
The crowd erupts into unexpected cheers. I didn”t know I had such a boisterous fan club.
I take a deep breath and tug at my lapels to make sure I don”t look ridiculous. But when I look up, my feet don”t want to move.
”Come on up, Fergie,” Rina waves me over with her mic.
I don”t move. But it”s not from nerves. It”s that at this exact moment in the back of the room, I see the girl that causes me to lose my focus anytime I see her occupying a seat at a table with my teammates.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.Of course, Libby O”Connor would be here tonight. She”s the Heatwave”s biggest supporter. She never misses a home game. Is the loudest to cheer from the crowd. And tonight, she”s looking especially exquisite in an Emerald green and black gown that seems to make her red locks pop.
My stomach twists knowing tonight I plan to forget all about this stupid crush by finally hooking up with someone else.
”Number Twenty-three has chosen to take his date to an intimate ice skating lesson in our very own Space City Arena followed by a very special dinner at his favorite local restaurant. One lucky lady will get an exclusive tour of the new arena updates and get to skate with Ferguson himself.”
Oohs and aahs erupt in the crowd. And I think I underestimated the amount of older women that would love the opportunity to skate with an NHL player. Or maybe it”s the chance to get to see what”s been happening behind the tarps that have been keeping the remodel taking place over the last few months under wraps?
”Bidding will start at two thousand dollars.”
Immediately the paddles go up. Yeah, I severely underestimated it.
”Two thousand. Do I have three thousand? Three thousand in the front. Four thousand. Do I have four thousand?” Rina is surprisingly good as an auctioneer. I wonder if in another life she was selling livestock at the Fort Worth Stockyards.
”I”ll double it,” a woman in a red dress and feathered boa calls from the back.
”Oh, that puts us at eight thousand. Do I have nine?”
”Nine!” Another woman calls from the middle. The woman in red shoots daggers at her. And raises her paddle again. I feel myself starting to sweat through my suit.
”Fifteen thousand,” boa lady says, rising from her seat.
Hicks’ mouth drops open next to his date at the same table.
I see Keelan in my peripheral, pumping his fist behind the curtain.
”Wow, ok. Do I have sixteen thousand?” Rina asks the excited crowd. A third woman rises but another voice calls out from the back.
”Twenty-five thousand,” it rings out.
My eyes land on the mass of red hair in the emerald dress casually waving her paddle.
”Twenty-five thousand going once,” Rina waits. The woman in red and the church hat lady both purse their lips and shake their heads. ”Going twice.” Nobody moves. ”Sold to...” Rina puts her hands over her eyes to see who made the bid.
”Liberty O”Connor,” my bidder calls out.
My eyes rake across the room and land on my brother, who stares at her in disbelief.
”Oh! Libby,” Rina says, surprised. “Come on up and claim your prize,” Rina motions to me like I”m the new car she just won on a game show.
I am dumbfounded.
Why the hell would Zane”s sister bid twenty-five G”s to go on a date with me? She doesn”t even like me? Every time I’ve attempted to make a move she’s without fail put me in the friend-zone.
Libby rises from her seat. The room full of disappointed bidders hesitates but ultimately claps as she makes her way to the stage. My eyes flash to Keelan, who”s shrugging at me.
”Just take the win,” he whispers.
Libby”s heels click on the wood floor as she nears me, and I jump down from the stage, avoiding the stairs. I quickly produce my arm for her to take.
The beautiful red-haired goddess gives me a piercing glare with those hazel eyes, and I feel a weird satisfaction. I don”t know what Libby is up to, but a woman like her on my arm—a guy could get used to this.
”Don”t look so pleased with yourself,” she says through gritted teeth as she loops her arm into mine. The entire room is watching us and cameras are pointed our way.
”I know. I get it. It”s for charity,” I say, pulling her closer to me as I lean my head toward her. We both smile for the cameras. I catch a whiff of her perfume. It”s light but sweet and smells like candy.
”You must really care about those kids,” I say to her as we walk past the cameras, and she pulls away slightly.
I tighten my arm, locking her in place at my side.
”Maybe I like ice skating,” she says.
I cock a brow up, and she looks at my confused expression.
”And I might”ve wanted to get back at your brother.”
”Ah, the truth at last,” I say to her. “Your revenge is expensive.”
”It”s not revenge,” she snaps.
”Mmhmm.”
She turns on me with a glare. ”I just needed to prove a point, Fergie.”
”I get it. I should thank you really. Now I don”t have to worry about going on a date with a handsy fan.”
”Yep, you definitely don”t have to worry about that,” she confirms.
Of course, I wouldn”t have to worry about that. Because Libby, for all the trouble I”ve gone to to try to get her to notice me, doesn”t want anything to do with me. And for good reason, I guess. Considering…my brother.
We get to the table, and my teammates stare at us slack-jawed, just as confused as I was.
Rina is introducing Landry to the room full of eager women. He”s the last of us to get auctioned.
Ryker whistles as I walk by him, ”Way to bring in the big ones, Fergie.” He throws an arm around his girl.
Libby drops into the seat at the right of her. She looks just as ready to be out of here as Mr. Chandra from Chandra Automotives.
The crowd cheers behind us as Landry does the moonwalk onto the stage. It”s announced that his date will get to go on his favorite things to do in Houston tour, which will include five epic stops and a dance at his favorite club.
Seems like overkill. But it”s Keelan Landry. Everything the guy does is over the top.
I look to Libby who picks up a champagne flute and takes a long drink, avoiding my gaze. I try not to stare as her slender neck swallows the liquid down gracefully.
Next to me, Zane clears his throat.
”What?” I say to him.
”Look...but don”t touch,” he warns.
”You do realize your sister was the one to bid on me, right?”
He lowers his voice and leans into me. ”Just remember what I told you, Ferg. We need you focused.”
I shake my head. I didn”t ask for this.
Besides, Libby still isn”t looking at me.
Whatever.I”ll be her little pawn to use to get back at my brother for whatever the hell he did to piss her off.
I know they have history, and I”m not about to get in the middle of it.
Getting up to grab a drink at the bar, the crowd around me is riled up as the bids continue to pour in for our team captain on stage.
”So...Liberty O”Connor,” a rough voice says behind me. I turn to my older brother who has his hands in his pockets and is wearing that smirk I”ve grown up with my entire life.
”Why do you sound so surprised?”
The bartender hands me my root beer, and Jonah eyes the drink.
”Some things never change, huh, little brother? Libby always did have a taste for Ferguson boys.”
”You”re not jealous, are you, Jo? I mean, you”re about to get married.”
A corner of his mouth quirks up in amusement. ”I just came over to congratulate you.”
”On?”
”Everything,” he says, spreading his arms out. ”Pursuing your dreams, your team making it into the conference finals, now, scoring a date with one of the hottest girls to exist.”
I narrow my eyes at him. ”I don”t think Lillian would appreciate it if she heard you talking like that about another woman?”
He”s right. Some things never change. Jonah Ferguson”s tactlessness is one of them.
He waves it off, ”I”m just stating a fact.”
”Right. Well, thanks, but I don”t need your congratulations. And Libby”s just a friend.” I brush past him, and he grabs me by the bicep.
Lowering his voice, he says, ”Enjoy my sloppy seconds, Mikey. I know that”s what you”re used to.”
I shake my arm loose from his grip. ”You”re disgusting, Jo.”
A low chuckle escapes him. ”I”m just messing with you. You”re always so serious,” he says, patting me on the shoulder. ”Anyways, are you coming to dinner tomorrow? We”re going over the final details. I need my best man there.”
”I don”t know,” my eyes float over to the table full of my friends.
Right now, I regret agreeing to be my brother”s best man. We were estranged for so long, and this was his attempt to smooth things over again between us.
”Come on, Mikey. Mom”s getting worried. You haven”t been around.”
”Says the guy who wasn”t around for nearly a decade.”
”Ouch. Hey, I had my low points. But that was another life.”
His eyes reflect the genuine hurt in them. ”I know...I”m sorry.”
”It”s fine. Just promise you”ll be there man.”
”I”ll do what I can.”
He nods and accepts that. ”Tell Libby I say...hi,” he grins before returning to his table. His wife watches him as he approaches and announces they should go. Lillian smiles at me and waves.
I give her a small wave back. My soon-to-be sister-in-law has a lot to deal with in Jonah Ferguson. The woman is a saint.
”Sold for fifty thousand dollars to Mackenzie Stratton,” Rina”s voice rings out into the speakers.
What?
Our team”s owner rises from the table she”s seated at and approaches the stage, as Landry jumps down and joins her.
Rina stares at them for a beat before gathering her thoughts again and rushing through the last bit.
”Anyways, that concludes tonight”s auction. Players and bidders, thank you for participating. Our media team will be reaching out to you to plan the best date and time for them to be able to document your special outings. Enjoy the food.”
Rina drops the mic on the podium and storms off the stage.
I make it back to the table with my teammates. ”That was weird, right?” I point to the stage.
Izzy and Ryker look at each other but don”t say anything.
”What is it?”
”Don”t read too much into it,” Izzy insists.
”Alright losers,” Kesley says flexing her fingers. ”Pay up.”
Everyone groans as they slide cash toward Kesley and I realize our friends have been running side bets all night.
”You guys really enjoy making money off each other.”
Zane looks over at me, ”Says the guy with the swear jar.”
I shake my head. ”Not anymore.”
Ryker”s head swivels toward me, too. ”What? No more swear jar?”
”Nah, swear jar needs a revamp. Something else,” I say.
“Like what?” They both ask.
“How about a dirty sock jar?” Izzy offers. Having been a past roommate, she knows exactly the dirty sock epidemic we face at the house.
“A stinky gear jar?” Kesley adds.
Zane looks at her. “My gear doesn’t stink.”
All the girls exchange looks and laugh.
“That’s because you’re all nose blind,” Izzy says.
“You guys need a cringe jar,” Libby finally says. All the eyes at the table go to her. “That way anytime someone does something cringey…instant payment. And create a digital payment system. They don’t carry enough cash to cover the amount of cringey things you guys do at that house.”
“It’s genius,” Kesley says, admiring her friend.
I nod in agreement. “A cringe jar. That’s it.”
The food is served, and everyone is distracted by their dishes.
”Fucking finally,” Zane breathes out when they place the steak in front of him.
I look over at his sister. She ordered the same thing that I did. Salmon.
”Shit,” Libby says under her breath. ”I didn”t realize it had nuts.”
”Have them take it back,” Kesley says next to her.
”I hate sending stuff back. You know that.”
”Well, you can”t eat it, Lib?”
I turn to one of the waiters, ”Excuse me. Would you please have the chef prepare a salmon dish without nuts?”
The waiter nods, ”Of course, sir. My apologies, I”ll just take that for you.”
”Oh, not for me.” I motion toward Libby.
Her eyes go wide, and the waiter reaches for her plate. ”My apologies, ma”am. We”ll get you a fresh dish in no time.”
Libby stutters, “It”s ok. I don”t mean to be a bother.”
”It”s no bother at all. It”d be my pleasure,” the waiter says.
Her cheeks are flushed, and I”m genuinely surprised. For such an outspoken woman, Libby doesn”t seem like the type that would be afraid to send back food.
”Ok,” she relents. Then looks back at me and mouths, ”Thank you.”
I give her a nod and push around the food on my plate, replaying my brother”s words in my head.
”Enjoy my sloppy seconds, brother. I know that”s what you”re used to.”
I hate that Jonah knows exactly what to say to get under my skin. Being the second-born son in a very traditional and conservative family meant that Jonah always got the shiny and new while I was stuck using everything after him.
When he decided that he needed to break away from life as a pastor”s son, he was the long-awaited prodigal son my parents spent years praying for to return.
My teammates and their girls continue to chat around me but I”m too distracted with thoughts of my family to engage.
My phone buzzes in my pocket.
And I smile, knowing exactly who it is.